The Handmaid's Tale (2017)

Name: The Handmaid's Tale
Released: 2017
Rating: 8.1
Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley

TV-MA 8.1/10 IMDb

Drama Sci-Fi & Fantasy Action & Adventure

Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship.

Creator: Bruce Miller

Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley

Content Warnings

Identity & Discrimination

Hate crimes (depicted) Homophobia / transphobia (depicted) Religious persecution

Mental Health & Emotional

Death of a child Death of a parent Forced institutionalization Grief / bereavement (major focus) Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirth Suicide (discussed or ideation)

Other

Forced marriage Gaslighting / emotional manipulation Genocide / ethnic cleansing Kidnapping / abduction War / combat Wrongful imprisonment

Phobias & Sensory

Body horror Confined spaces (claustrophobia) Drowning / underwater scenes Flashing lights / strobing (epilepsy risk) Needles / medical procedures

Sexual Content

Sex trafficking Sexual coercion / non-consensual situations

Violence & Physical Harm

Child abuse / harm to children Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse Gore / graphic violence Gun violence Self-harm / suicide (depicted) Sexual assault / rape Slavery / forced labor Torture

View full breakdown

Does It Get Worse?

Gets Better Content intensity decreases in later seasons.

12 series-wide warnings apply across all seasons.

Season 1 14 warnings

Avg severity:(4.6)

Homophobia / transphobia (depicted)Religious persecutionDeath of a childGrief / bereavement (major focus)Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirthForced marriageGaslighting / emotional manipulationKidnapping / abductionConfined spaces (claustrophobia)Sexual coercion / non-consensual situationsGun violenceSexual assault / rapeSlavery / forced laborTorture

Season 2 13 warnings

Avg severity:(4.8)

Religious persecutionGrief / bereavement (major focus)Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirthForced marriageGaslighting / emotional manipulationKidnapping / abductionConfined spaces (claustrophobia)Drowning / underwater scenesSexual coercion / non-consensual situationsChild abuse / harm to childrenSexual assault / rapeSlavery / forced laborTorture

Season 3 13 warnings

Avg severity:(4.0)

Religious persecutionDeath of a childGrief / bereavement (major focus)Forced marriageGaslighting / emotional manipulationKidnapping / abductionWar / combatSex traffickingChild abuse / harm to childrenGun violenceSexual assault / rapeSlavery / forced laborTorture

Season 4 12 warnings

Avg severity:(4.3)

Religious persecutionGrief / bereavement (major focus)Suicide (discussed or ideation)Forced marriageGaslighting / emotional manipulationKidnapping / abductionSexual coercion / non-consensual situationsGore / graphic violenceGun violenceSexual assault / rapeSlavery / forced laborTorture

Season 5 12 warnings

Avg severity:(3.7)

Religious persecutionGrief / bereavement (major focus)Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirthForced marriageGaslighting / emotional manipulationKidnapping / abductionWar / combatChild abuse / harm to childrenGun violenceSexual assault / rapeSlavery / forced laborTorture